James keaeney



(No Model.)

J. KEARNEY.

ENGINEERS VALVE FOR FLUID PRESSURE BRAKES.

Patented Aug. 25 1885.

I R R g 1879; and in order to Nrrnn STATES PATENT Orrica.

JAMES KEARNEY, OF NORTH SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI.

ENGINEERS VALVE FOR FLUID-PRESSURE BRAKES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No 325,092, dated August 25, 1885. Applicat ion filed November 11, 1884. (No model.)

1" 0 oil whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAnEs KEARNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at North Springfield, county of Greene, State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Engineers Valves or (locks for .l luid-Pressure Brakes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, concise, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification.

My improvement relates more especially to the class of cocks invented by George Westinghouse, Jr., and designated by him as cock J for fluid pressure brakes, and described in Letters Patent No. $4,602, dated April 22, show the value of my improvement it is expedient to briefly explain the construction and operation of the device described in said Letters Patent, to the specitication of which reference is hereby made for a more full and exact description. My improvement, however, is not limited in adaptability and utility to that particular form of cock for air-brakes, but it will be found equally adaptable to other forms of engineers valves for air-brakes.

The object of the \Vestii'ighouse improvementis stated to be to enable a definite orany desired higher pressure-say fifteen pounds to the square inch, more or less-to be maintained in the main reservoir above that which is maintained in the brake'pipes, while nevertheless the air-pressure is able to pass from the former into the latter whenever the press ure in the brake-pipe may become reduced below tie determined or desired amount.

l i I l l I l l l l l i i In using the cock described by VVestlng house and manufactured by the Vestinghouse Air-Brake Com pal y an engineer, after having charged the brakepipes and auxiliary reservtirs with compressed air from the main reservoir, is directed to turn the handle of the cock so air can be admitted to thepipes through v the pressurevalve in question. With the handle in this position, compressed air feeds from the reservoir into the trainpipe as may be required to maintain a working-pressure.

In the object proposed the device of \Vestinghouse is sufficient, but exigencies in the use of air-brakes arise, when, if the position of the handle of the cock is in the feeding position, all the air in the reservoir is liable to escape. These exigencies are the bursting of the trainpipe or the sudden opening of the conductors valve.

In the \Vestinghouse system of automatic air-brakes a rupture of the train-pipe or opening of the conductors valve causes an application of brakes, and it is then necessary to bleed the cylinders, as it is called-that is, open them by hand-before the brakes can be taken ofi" and the train moved. This inability to move a train promptly has been the cause of several sad disasters, notably the accident at Spuyten Duyvil, on the Hudson River Railroad, in the year lSS2.-

My invention has for its object to supply means whereby, when the engineers valve is in the feeding position, and when the trainpipe is suddenly opened by rupture or by use of the conductors valve, the air in the main reservoir is wholly retained and can be used for taking off brakes more speedily than can be done by bleeding the train. If brakes are put on by use of the conductors valve, it will be possible for the engineer, using a valve provided with my improvement, instantly to give the pipes air and release the brakes. In case the air escapes from the train-pipe by reason of a rupture, it will only be necessary to close the first stop-cock't'orward of the ruptare in order to enable the engineer to release the brakes on that portion of the train. 011 the remaining portion of the train the bleeding process will be necessary unless the broken portion can be immediately replaced by a new section of pipe, in which case a re lease can be clt'ected by the engineer by forcing compressed air into the pipes and auxiliary reservoirs.

My improvement consists simply in attaching to the bottom of the tubular stem which carries the iressure-valve described in the VVestinghonse patent a second valve, which will permit a gentle current of compressed air to pass or feed into the traiirpipe, but will promptly close under a sudden strongim pulse,

such as is caused by a complete and sudden discharge of the compressed air from the trainpipe.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a sectional view of so much of the cock devised by estinghouse as is necessary fora ull comprehension of the present invention. Tig. 2 is a detached view of the preferred form t' auxiliary valve and its baskets.

Like letters refer to like parts wherever ;hey occur.

A indicates the branch which communicates )y a suitable pipe with the main reservoir; B, the passage which is connected to the brake-pipes; G, a rotary valve having one or more ports, 0, which communicate with ports B in a transverse diaphragm or valve-seat. I indicates the tubular stem of rotary valve 0, within which is arranged a pressure-valve, J. L is a small port or passage leading from the tubular stein I and pressure-valve through the valve 0.

The lower part of the shell is removed, so as to show the tubular stem 1 on the under side. of the rotary valve 0. The stem I is partially closed by atubular screw-plug, i, the tubular opening of the plug communicating with the ingress-pipe. Within the tubular stem and screw-plug is situated the pressure-valve J, devised by Westinghouse for the purpose stated. To the tubular screw-plug I attach a metal basket, m, containing a free ball-valve, a, and which holds said ball to within a fraction of an inch of the aperture of the screwplng. The ball is a little larger than 'the opening of the screw-plug, so as to fit into the annular opening to form a ball-valve. The hall-valve u should be of such size and weight that it will lie in the basket unmoved under a feeding-current, but under a sudden violent current it will fly upward into position against the annular opening in the plug and close it, and there remain until the pressure in the reservoir is reduced or counterbalanced.

I do not confine myself to the ball form of valve, as it is apparent to any skilled mechanic that a flap-valve can be arranged to accomplish the same purpose and operate in a similar manner, and to substitute any of the many well known equivalents of the valve shown involves no departure from the invention hereinbefore described.

1 claim-- 1. In a cock for charging and discharging fluid-pressure, the combination, with a counterbalanced feed-valve, of an auxiliary rush-valve adapted to be automatically closed by any sudden acceleration or pressure in the feed or current, substantially as and for the purposes.

2. In combination with a cook or valve for charging and discharging the fluid-pressure of air-brakes, a feed-passage leading from the main reservoir to the brake-pipe connection or branch, a counterbalanced valve arranged to control said feedpassage and an auxiliary rush-valve arranged between the counterbalanced valve and the main reservoir, to control the egress-port of the latter, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. In an engineers valve for controlling fluid-pressure brakes, the combination, with a main valve having a hollow stein, a feedpassage, and a counterbalanced feed-valve, ot' arush ball-valve, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4:. In an engineers valve for controlling fluid-pressure brakes, the combination, with a main valve having a sage, and a counterbalanced feedvalve, of a ball-valve and basket, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. In an engineers valve for controlling fluid-pressure brakes, the combination, with a main valve having a hollow stem, and a feedpassage, of a rush-valve, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses this 29th day of October, 1884.

JAMES KEARNEY.

Witnesses:

A M. HASWELL, JOHN B. GRAY.

hollow stem, a feed-pas- 

